The Sac That Was Our Living Room Ceiling

The flat upstairs. It’s their escaped water, low slung in the sac that was our living room ceiling. Icy cold drops sweat along the pregnant plaster, grow plump, fall down – we had to move the couch. The floorboards are dotted with filling bowls. Some day (or night) soon, the whole lot’s going to finally burst. My family nag me to call the landlord but I hate confrontation. I say I’ll call him tomorrow, after the weekend, after Christmas. I know they’re losing respect for me over this. I hate that I’m supposed to be the one to deal with problems. This isn’t our country. I don’t like to make waves. Meanwhile, the sagging over our heads undulates and sways with its own incomprehensible tides.

About the author:

Nick Black is a library manager in North London. His stories have been published in lit mags including Jellyfish Review, (b)OINK zine, the Lonely Crowd, Spelk Fiction, Open Pen and Funhouse. They’ve also won various contests and been listed for the 2015 and 2016 Bath Flash Fiction Awards.